A digital signature is a cryptographic technique used to validate the authenticity and integrity of digital messages or documents. It provides a way to ensure that the message or document was created by a known sender and has not been altered in transit.
For this, digital signatures rely on both a private and public key. The sender uses their private key to create the digital signature. The recipient then uses the sender’s public key to verify the digital signature.
This provides a way to authenticate the identity of the sender, ensures that the message has not been altered since it was signed, and prevents the sender from denying they sent the message, as only their private key could have produced the digital signature.
Digital signatures are used to secure cryptocurrency transactions, as well as other digital exchanges.